I Can't Make You Love Me
by bookgirl318
Summary: It's the night before the Quarter Quell in Catching Fire. What was Peeta thinking that night? A little story based on a song that to me captured what he felt.


**Hi everyone! **

**This one shot scene is from Catching Fire, the last night before they head into the arena. There is not much said about what happened, but I can only imagine what is going on in Peeta's head. This song just rang true with me about what he must have been feeling. I also know it says they didn't talk, but I had to include a little bit of dialogue, so I hope you will forgive that. **

**Anyways I hope that you like the story!**

**The song this is based from is I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt (or Bon Iver)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or I Can't Make You Love ME**

**I Can't Make You Love Me**

We have just completed the interviews. If I thought I had shocked them last time with my declaration of love for Katniss, boy did I outdo myself this go around. I have just told the entire country that this girl beside me and I were secretly married, and that she was pregnant. It had put the entire audience into pandemonium. They are so in love with us that the thought of sending the star-crossed lover back into the arena has caused a serious disruption. All of the victors took the energy and for once raised hands together in a moment of brotherhood. _Take that President Snow. _If my fiancée can fuel a rebellion with her bow and arrow, I can do it with my words.

_Katniss, my fiancée._ Using that term to identify her still stings. To get what I wanted my whole life, but with a catch. It's all just a show. Every day that passes I have to remind myself that she doesn't love me. And tomorrow, we are heading back into the arena. This time, there is no way that both of us will be coming home. One of us will have to die, and I am going to make sure that it is her. Whether she loves me or not doesn't matter. I love her more than my life, and I will give it up if it means that she will live.

I take a look at Katniss standing next to me. She doesn't look like she is upset by my announcement. IF fact, I would have to say that she actually seems pleased. I guess it gives her a kind of satisfaction and freedom, knowing what a stir I've caused.

As we get off the elevator I have to quickly make sure she is okay before the others arrive. I take Katniss by the shoulders and turn her towards me.

"There isn't much time, so tell me. Is there anything I have to apologize for?" I ask.

Those grey eyes sparkle at me as Katniss smiles. She tells me that although it was risky for me to do, that she is fine with it. I breathe a sigh of relief.

Haymitch comes in then, and tells us what an uproar is going on outside. We check it up, but come to the conclusion that even so, the Games won't be cancelled. I also have a feeling that the solidarity amongst the victors tonight will be short lived.

We say our goodbyes to our mentor, who continues to advise us to "Stay alive." He knows my plan, and said that he would help me make sure Katniss wins. The drunk says some more words to Katniss about remembering _who the enemy is_, but I am not sure what he means by that. Haymitch finally winks at me when he turns to leave, and I take that as a sign he plans to keep his promise.

The two of us then walk down the hallway towards our rooms. I reach my door and am about to turn and go in, but for some reason Katniss won't let me go.

"If you go in there, they might lock the door and you won't be able to get out," she says.

"I need to shower." I argue. "I have to get this makeup off." They've put the stuff on me for all of the TV interviews, but I can't stand to leave it on for too long.

"You can clean up in my shower," she offers. "Please, Peeta. Stay with me." Her eyes are staring directly into mine and pleading. This fearless girl is truly afraid she could be left alone tonight. I can't deny her.

We walk farther down the hallway to Katniss' room and go in. I let her wash up first, and she only takes a few minutes. I have already gotten my jacket and shoes off when she comes out of the bathroom wearing one of the comfortable night outfits she usually wears to sleep. Her hair is down from its braid into soft waves, and I can smell the strawberries that must have been in the shampoo Katniss used.

"Your turn," she states quietly. I nod and head into the bathroom myself. I find the shower and see that it is just like the one in my own quarters. I quickly manage to wash all of the work my prep team had done off my face. The hot water feels good on my muscles and I can at least feel some of the tension go away. Some…but not all.

When I finish, I put my pants and my undershirt back on, as Katniss wouldn't let me get my own sleepwear, and there is nothing in here for me to sleep in. I walk back out to see that she has already pulled the covers down on the bed and the lights have been dimmed.

_**Turn down the lights, turn down the bed  
Turn down these voices inside my head **_

__My mind is so full tonight, not only with everything that had happened in the past days, but with what lay ahead, as well. My thoughts remind me that I have to keep to the plan. My selfish side tries to argue that I should try and save myself. This is pointless, of course. I know what I have to do. I wish I could shut my mind off and sleep, but I know that is probably not going to happen, especially with the girl of my dreams in the same bed.

I walk over to the large comfortable bed and sit on it. Katniss is putting the bedspread over a chair and turns back around to look at me. I pat the empty space beside me and she comes over and gets in under the covers.

_**Lay down with me, tell me no lies  
Just hold me close, don't patronize Don't patronize me**_

Instinctively, she inches over to my side and comes into my waiting embrace. It doesn't take long before her own arms are around me and our legs are entangled together. Neither of us is attempting to sleep. We just lay there with eyes open, just looking at each other but not speaking. I could stay like this forever with her just holding onto me. It feels so good, but I also know the truth..

"I just need you to be close tonight," she breaks the silence with her quiet statement. "I don't think I can sleep, and I'm not really sure I want to anyway."

"The nightmares." I reply in understanding.

"I know they'll be bad," she continues. "I know I need to sleep to be fresh tomorrow, and I can't do that without you. You're the only one who can keep them away."

That's right. I seem to be the only one who can help soothe her during her night terrors. But that's all she wants from me. Nothing more. No matter how much I have dreamed when it came to Katniss, this is all I will get. And then tomorrow, I will begin the plan that will end in my death. I haven't been able to bring my dreams into reality before, and now I am out of time. Who was I to think that she could ever really be mine? That's not what she was ever looking for.

_**Cause I can't make you love me if you don't  
You can't make your heart feel something it won't**_

I naively once thought that if I actually talked to Katniss she would finally notice me. Once I got in, then I could finally tell her everything that I felt for her. I knew she would love me if only I had the chance.

Little did I know that the first time I would have a conversation with her would be on the train to the Hunger Games. Not necessarily the best situation to get to know someone for the first time. Even though I came up with the idea of the staged romance, for me everything was true.

I kind of hoped that through us having to pretend, that just maybe it could become real somehow. I was wrong. I had tricked myself into believing Katniss in the cave. I thought all of the glances, the loving words and kisses had something behind them. But, on the train home she made it clear that it was all for the cameras. Learning that still hurt even now. We've managed to put together a kind of basic friendship, but it's so hard when you want more.

There were a few moments where I thought that maybe she really does have feelings for me, like yesterday when we were on the roof. But reality always has come crashing down. Katniss needs comfort, and I'm the only one here. All I really have are these times in the middle of the night when she has relied on me to sleep. And here we are for what will probably be the last time like this.

_**Here in the dark, in these final hours  
I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power**_

Knowing this is more than likely my final night with her like this, I decide to lay it all out there. Say to her the one thing I need to before I begin to let this dark haired beauty go.

Katniss is still staring into my eyes as I kiss her forehead. "I love you," I finally tell her. "I just wanted to say it before…" My sentence trail off. Just saying the words takes a load off of my chest. At least she will know the truth when I am gone.

I think that I might some kind of loving reply from her, but this is Katniss. She is stubborn, and I am sure she has some foolish plan of her own to try and save me in the Games. _Good luck with that. _

She sighs heavily and finally says, "Peeta, we'll be okay. We always look out for each other right? We just have to stay together, and I'll get you home."

I let out a huff in frustration at her determination to die out there for me. "Why would you do that?" I ask honestly. "You should be the one to go home to your family."

"You're such a good person. Out of all of us, you are the one who truly deserves to live." Once again, there is no feeling of love there for me. It's just a belief that I am more deserving. I decide not to reply and let the silence hang on.

_**But you won't, no you won't  
'Cause I can't make you love me, if you don't**_

Time passes, and after a while, I see Katniss' eyes finally close as sleep finally overtakes her. The fear is still there inside both of us, so I take this peaceful time to try and rest myself in hopes that I won't have to think about the situation anymore.  
[ Lyrics from: b/bonnie+raitt/i+cant+make+you+love+me_ ]  
_**I'll close my eyes, then I won't see  
The love you don't feel when you're holding me**_

In these short moments of troubled sleep, I still dream of her, and of what the future could be. I see her in the woods with Gale, smiling with beautiful dark haired children around her. She looks at them all so lovingly. I know she could be happy if only she would allow it. This is what my plan is about…her future. I am going to die in the arena so that she can live her life with Hawthorne.

I have seen him around her and can tell that he loves Katniss and would be good to her. I know she has feelings for him too, even if she is confused about them for now. The two of them are so alike and easy together.

Katniss needs to win so that she can go home to the life she could have. I have to convince her of this by using her feelings for the tall hunter and her family. I have to build that fire within her that wants to survive. Right now her whole agenda is to protect me. I can't let that happen.

I've already got the locket that I am going to give Katniss as a reminder of what she has at home to live for. I gave Portia instructions to put it as my token to wear inside the arena. I retrieved a picture from Mrs. Everdeen of her and Prim, and Mrs. Hawthorne was able to find a photograph of Gale. She was extremely surprised that I would want one at first, but happy to oblige once I told her it would be for Katniss.

The two images are inside the locket, and I will give it to her in the arena when the time is right. She has to realize what she leaves if she dies. They are depending on her. I don't have anyone who would care if I was gone. My family and few friends would be sad but make it through soon enough. No one truly needs me. Katniss has become my whole life, even if only for a short time. Every moment counts. All I have is right now, this night, but only until the morning when I will have to leave her.

_**Morning will come and I'll do what's right  
Just give me till then to give up this fight  
And I will give up this fight**_

When dawn approaches and I can see the sun trying to come through the windows, the door opens and Cinna and Portia are there. They don't seem shocked to see us together like this, but I notice a look of sadness coming across their faces. The stylists care about us, I know, but they are still here to do their job.

I take a quick glance at Katniss. She is still wrapped around me, but now wide awake. She is looking at me and I can tell she obviously doesn't want me to go. But I have to. I have no choice. If my plan is going to work, I have to let her go, starting now. I place a soft kiss on her lips.

"See you soon." I tell her. It's the best I can offer.

"See you soon," she replies. With that I get up and out of the bed. I pick up the clothes that have been lying on the chair all night to take them back with me. I then see Cinna walking towards Katniss, and her attention shifts to him and his instructions. She is focused now, which is what she needs to be. All my dreams of her and what could be flash in my mind. But, this was never a place for romance, only hunger and death. Who was I to think any different just because I fell in love with this girl at the age of five? The fates obviously had had another plan, and it didn't include love.

_**Cause I can't make you love me if you don't  
You can't make your heart feel something it won't  
Here in the dark, in these lonely hours  
I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power  
But you won't, no you won't  
'Cause I can't make you love me, if you don't**_

As I walk out of the room to be prepped for the arena, I decide that at this point, it doesn't matter if she loves me now. What matters is that I make her want to live. Keeping her safe is the most important thing.

With a clear purpose ahead, I look back one last time at Katniss, the girl of my dreams, and try to retain her beautiful face in my mind for the battle ahead.

**So, there it is! Thank you so much for reading. I hope I did the moment some justice. Please, please review! They are absolute love to the writer. I love to hear any and all comments.**


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